How to leave Family Sharing
To leave Family Sharing on an Apple device, open Settings, tap your name at the top, select Family Sharing, then tap your name again and choose "Stop Using Family Sharing." On a Mac, go to System Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing, click your name in the sidebar, then click the minus button and confirm. The person who set up the family group cannot leave — they must transfer organizer status to someone else first, or delete the entire family group.
When you leave, you lose access to shared purchases, shared calendars, shared photo libraries, and location sharing with the group. You keep your own Apple ID and any purchases you made individually. If you were sharing payment methods with the group, that connection ends immediately.
The process takes less than a minute, but the effects are permanent until you rejoin a different family group or someone invites you back to the same one. You can rejoin a family group at any time if another member sends you an invitation.
Key Takeaways
- You can leave Family Sharing from Settings on iPhone, iPad, or Mac by finding your name under Family Sharing and selecting the option to stop using it.
- The organizer of the family group cannot leave without first transferring organizer status to another adult member or deleting the entire group.
- Leaving Family Sharing removes your access to shared purchases, shared calendars, shared photo libraries, and location sharing immediately.
- You keep all purchases you made individually and your own Apple ID remains active after you leave.
- You can rejoin a family group later if someone sends you an invitation, or create a new family group with a different set of people.
Steps to leave on iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app and tap your name at the very top of the screen. Scroll down and tap Family Sharing. You will see a list of family members — tap your own name in that list. At the bottom of your profile screen, you will see a button that says "Stop Using Family Sharing." Tap it, then confirm when the system asks you to verify.
After you confirm, you are removed from the group immediately. Any shared content you were viewing will no longer be available, though you can still access anything you purchased with your own Apple ID. If you have a shared photo library, your photos remain in that library but you can no longer add to it or see new photos added by others.
Steps to leave on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Click your name in the sidebar on the left, then click Family Sharing. You will see a list of family members in the main panel — find your own name and click the minus button next to it. A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you want to stop using Family Sharing. Click the button to confirm.
On Mac, the process is the same as on iPhone or iPad, just in a different location within System Settings. The effects are identical: you leave the group, lose access to shared content, and keep your own purchases and Apple ID.
What happens if you are the organizer
The person who created the family group — called the organizer — cannot leave Family Sharing without taking extra steps first. If you are the organizer and you try to leave, the system will tell you that you must transfer organizer status to another adult in the group before you can go.
To transfer organizer status, open Family Sharing settings, tap the name of the adult you want to make the new organizer, and look for an option to make them the organizer. Once you transfer the role, you can then follow the normal steps to leave. If no other adults are in the group, you must delete the entire family group before you can leave — this removes everyone from the group and cannot be undone.
What you lose when you leave
Leaving Family Sharing ends your access to several shared features. You can no longer see the shared family calendar, you lose access to the shared photo library, and location sharing with family members stops. If the family was sharing an Apple Music or Apple TV+ subscription, you lose access to those services unless you have your own separate subscription.
You also lose the ability to see purchase history for other family members and they can no longer see yours. If you were using Family Sharing to manage screen time or parental controls for a child's device, those controls are removed when you leave.
What you keep when you leave
Your Apple ID remains active and unchanged. Any apps, music, books, or movies you purchased individually stay in your account and remain on your devices. If you have iCloud storage that was part of a shared family plan, you will need to get your own individual storage plan — Apple typically gives you a grace period before charging you for a new plan.
Your personal photos, contacts, reminders, and notes stay with you. If you were part of a shared photo library, your photos remain in that library but you can no longer edit it or see updates from other members.
Rejoining Family Sharing later
You can rejoin a family group at any time if someone who is already in the group sends you an invitation. They can invite you through Family Sharing settings by tapping the plus button and entering your Apple ID email address. You will receive a notification asking you to accept the invitation — once you do, you are back in the group with access to all shared features.
You can also create a new family group with a different set of people. This is useful if you want to share with a different family or group of friends. Each Apple ID can only be in one family group at a time, so you must leave your current group before joining a different one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave Family Sharing without the organizer knowing?
Yes. Leaving Family Sharing is your decision alone, and the organizer is not notified in advance. However, they will notice when they check the family member list and see that you are no longer there. Location sharing will stop immediately, so they may notice that your location is no longer visible.
What happens to my shared calendar when I leave?
You lose access to the family calendar, but events you created on it remain there for other family members to see. You can create your own personal calendar on your device after you leave. If you want to keep a copy of events from the family calendar, you will need to write them down or take screenshots before you leave.
Do I lose my photos if I leave a shared photo library?
No. Your photos stay in the shared library, but you can no longer add new ones or see photos added by others after you leave. Other family members can still see and edit your photos in that library. If you want copies of your photos, download them before you leave.
Can I rejoin the same family group after I leave?
Yes, if someone in the group sends you an invitation. You can rejoin at any time. However, if the organizer deleted the entire family group, you cannot rejoin that specific group — a new one would have to be created.
What if I share an iCloud storage plan with my family?
When you leave, you lose access to the shared storage plan. You will need to purchase your own individual iCloud+ plan to continue backing up your device. Apple usually gives you a short grace period before charging you, so check your account settings after you leave to see your options.